Chapter 678 - 673: The Mystery of the First Generation Peak Master
On Heaven Mending Peak, within a gloomy and secluded courtyard.
Lü Yang pushed aside the unconscious Lady Ruoxiang and began carefully reviewing the memories he had just extracted, bit by bit, using the Heaven-Mending Skill.
It couldn’t be helped.
After all, Foundation-Stage Cultivators sealed their Spiritual Spaces, making it difficult even for a Perfected Lord to perform Soul Searching. Only the Heaven-Mending Skill would work, so he had no choice but to make a small sacrifice.
His main objective in taking control of Heaven Mending Peak this time was to solve a problem that had long troubled him: the origin of Taiyin Immortal Venerable.
’Taiyin Immortal Venerable... What is the true identity of this esteemed senior sister of the Saint Sect? She supposedly took control of the Celestial Mansion five thousand years ago. But if the Saint Sect had such a formidable Late-stage Great True Monarch back then, how could there be no records? How could World Purger Fei Xue and the others have been completely unaware?’
’This is clearly wrong.’
Therefore, Lü Yang guessed it was highly likely that Taiyin Immortal Venerable wasn’t a Saint Sect True Monarch from five thousand years ago. Instead, she had "coincidentally" emerged at that time.
’After all, she was a Late-stage Golden Core Great True Monarch.’
’Before her, the origins of figures like Ang Xiao and True Monarch Gangxing could be traced back ten thousand years, even tens of thousands of years.’
’Taiyin Immortal Venerable should be no exception.’
After careful consideration, Lü Yang’s suspicion finally fell upon the Saint Sect’s Inner Sect Four Peaks—or more precisely, on their First Generation Peak Masters.
’In the end, the First Generation Peak Masters of the Inner Sect Four Peaks are a mystery in themselves... They were Perfected Lords who helped the Saint Sect Ancestral Master conquer the world. It’s impossible they didn’t even reach the Middle Stage of Golden Core, right? With the Saint Sect Ancestral Master backing them, they should have survived to this day, yet that’s clearly not what happened.’
’Why?’
’If the four First Generation Peak Masters are dead, who killed them? If they aren’t... then where are they?’ Lü Yang was extremely curious.
"Let me have a look."
Lü Yang carefully reviewed Lady Ruoxiang’s memories. As a blood descendant of the First Generation Heaven Mending Peak Master, she knew her family’s history like the back of her hand.
A moment later, he opened his eyes.
In the next second, Lü Yang rode his Flying Light to a clearing deep within Heaven Mending Peak. He formed a Daoist Hand Seal, and the world began to spin around him.
When he came to his senses, his surroundings had completely changed. What met his eyes was an ancestral hall. Inside stood a wide altar, on which countless Divine Tablets were stacked from bottom to top like a mountain, a dazzling and overwhelming sight. Finally, the single Divine Tablet at the very peak caught his eye.
Ancestral Master of Treasure Light and Cold
This was the name of the First Generation Heaven Mending Peak Master. Lü Yang’s eyes narrowed as he wondered, ’Could she be the same person as Taiyin Immortal Venerable?’
Lü Yang reached out, and with a grasping motion, drew the Divine Tablet into his hand.
The Divine Tablet was crafted from Jade Stone, but it was covered in a thick layer of dust, its luster completely gone. Any divine power it once held had long since been extinguished by the passage of time.
’A Divine Tablet is also a Life Plate. If the First Generation Heaven Mending Peak Master were still alive, this tablet should be pristine and radiant. Since it’s covered in dust, she should theoretically be dead... No wonder Lady Ruoxiang has fallen so low. By the time the First Generation Peak Master’s legacy reached her, there was basically nothing left.’
But even so, Lü Yang couldn’t shake his suspicions.
After all, he planned to settle old scores with Taiyin Immortal Venerable in this life. As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. Gathering intelligence was paramount, and this was a perfect example.
If Taiyin Immortal Venerable truly was the First Generation Peak Master of Heaven Mending Peak, it meant she must have reached the pinnacle of proficiency with the Heaven-Mending Skill, enough to probe the memories of a Perfected Lord.
’In that case, dealing with her would be simple.’
’I would go to the Celestial Mansion and deliberately reveal that I possess the secret to reaching the Nascent Soul stage. This would incite Taiyin Immortal Venerable’s greed, compelling her to capture me and allowing her to begin her interrogation.’
’Then, using my Dual Cultivation Genius Talent Skill, I could turn the tables and overwhelm the Taiyin Immortal Venerable who was trying to interrogate me. I would achieve an unprecedented, heaven-defying feat: killing a Late-stage Golden Core Great True Monarch as a mere Early Stage of Golden Core cultivator!’
’The plan is perfect.’
However, if Taiyin Immortal Venerable was not the First Generation Heaven Mending Peak Master, then this plan would be suicide. Confirming her identity was therefore crucial for Lü Yang.
Just then, however, the Immortal Core Survival Guide suddenly lit up:
Small trap. Please be advised. Avoid contact if possible.
’Holy shit!’
For a moment, Lü Yang felt as if he were holding a piece of burning charcoal; he nearly flung the Divine Tablet away. His expression remained calm, but his mind was in turmoil.
’Is there anything left in the Saint Sect that’s safe to take?’
’How can even this be a trap?’
’No, calm down... The Immortal Core Survival Guide called it a "small trap." That means it’s still within my ability to handle. It won’t kill me instantly.’
Nevertheless, Lü Yang carefully placed the Divine Tablet back in its original spot.
’If it’s a trap, then I just won’t touch it!’
Then, Lü Yang silently withdrew from the ancestral hall and returned to Luofeng Mountain, where he began to seriously contemplate his plan for this life.
’This life... I should focus on the Skill of Perfect Vitality.’
’After all, since I’m no longer pursuing the Pocket World Technique, I’ll need another way to advance my Cultivation. The Skill of Perfect Vitality is undoubtedly the most reliable option.’
’After all... this Cultivation Technique can grant Enlightenment to more than one Life Form Body!’
’In fact, cultivating this technique requires the continuous Enlightenment of Life Form Bodies.’
’Although granting Enlightenment to each Life Form Body requires a great deal of materials, for the person I am now, the cost is trivial.’
’Besides, before I make a move on the Fruit of Rampart Earth, I should probably do a dry run. I’ll pick a slightly less significant Fruit, one that isn’t too major a target, to experiment on.’
’I’ve already chosen my target.’
The Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire!
’That’s right. I’ll go after the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire and deal with Fortune... If I succeed, I can screw over Ang Xiao in the Netherworld one more time as a bonus!’
With this, Lü Yang set his initial goals for this life: find Fortune, refine him into his second Life Form Body, use the ownership of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire to swindle Ang Xiao for another round, and finally, break his promise and help Fortune reclaim his position.
This would also be the perfect opportunity to test the attitude of the Masters of Dao.
After all, using a Life Form Body to devour a Fruit was, in the truest sense, seizing control over it. Heaven only knew how the Masters of Dao would react.
’If they react strongly and intervene directly, I’ll abandon the plan.’
’If their reaction is muted and they tacitly approve, then I can put the plan to devour other Fruits—and ultimately seize the Fruit of Rampart Earth—on the agenda!’
At this thought, Lü Yang decided to act immediately.
’As for my Life Form Body, Yuan Tu, I’ll just leave him in the Saint Sect. Isn’t there a trap connected to that Divine Tablet in the Heaven Mending Peak ancestral hall? This is the perfect chance to have him go trigger it for me.’
’That’s what a substitute is for, after all!’
With that thought, Lü Yang instantly dispersed into a plume of pure qi, dissolved into the wind, and rode the shimmering celestial light, vanishing into the Sea of Clouds in the blink of an eye.